Dare to Look
by Galene
Summary: ...It is a kiss of death. Painfully sweet in its longing, passionate in desperation. It is good-bye enacted... Her intended had it all except what mattered most, her Heart (InuyashaxKagome)
1. Prologue: reflections

hi Everyone! This is just a Teaser for a story. I have never written any Inuyasha fan fiction before (i've only dabbled in SM and Harry Potter), but i thought i'd give it a shot. So if you like this i will expand it out into a full story, if not, it will remain as is

Dare to Look - Teaser

I dared a glance, eyes automatically seeking out his lean figure amidst the crowd, before shifting my gaze back to the more appropriate view of the young man seated to my left.

I knew he was the better choice, knew it was what my family wanted. This rich-man's son was perfect in every way as the saying goes, in every way but one.

He was not the stranger I had come to steal moments with between third and fourth period. He was not the stranger that waited upon me at the diner I frequented after school.

No, he would never be this other man. This partner in crime, and I knew, knew that I would have to do something soon or I would loose the one I longed for most.

You see, he isn't a patient man, and most of all, he hates to share what he considers his, and no matter how much I want to deny it. He owns me. Not in the way, I own my clothes, or the money in the bank, but in a way, that is infinitely more binding. His grasp on me is one that it takes more than a little time apart to break, as I feel as if his every action is imprinted upon my mind, you see the rhythm of his heartbeat is so familiar that it might as well be my own.

Yet he was forbidden to me. Forbidden by the rules of a society that claims freedom as it's pledge, but I have never cared much for rules, and so even as I sit here with this supposedly perfect man at my side, listening to the worshiping words of his followers I silently count the minutes until the sun sets and I am free to do as I wish once again.

"Kagome are you ready to go?" my grandpa finally asks three hours after the last speaker spoke, an hour after my entertainment disappeared from sight.

"Yes grandpa" I reply with a smile, standing only to find Mr. wonderful at my side bidding me goodnight. I accept his words, returning his embrace inwardly cringing at the feel of his lips on mine. He isn't who I want, but I smile letting him think I am happy when really all I can think of is later when my darling's lips will cleanse me of his touch.

The ride home is silent, and I find my thoughts drifting, escaping into a world where money does not matter. It is a world in which my stranger and I can be together always not just in fleeting moments where phrases such as classmates, and partners for some project or lab apply, but where the other words, the ones infinitely more special take their place. In my eyes, he is my boyfriend, beloved, promised one.

Yes, promised one, I love the sound of this phrase as it rings round in my head.

At home, I slip up to my room, climbing the stairs to the west wing two at a time. This house of mine, it always amazes him, he who has grown up in rowed suburbia where each house is precisely the same size, and designed the exact same way. Yet buildings have always fascinated him, he has a dream house in his mind that he constantly reshapes.

Alone in the safety of my lair, far from the prying eyes of my parents I relax. Carefully styled hair tumbling from its clasps left free to blow in the breeze as I sit at the window waiting.

I hope he will come.

We had argued the last time I had seen him. He, claiming I was just toying with him, me wondering how he could think such a thing. As always, our arguments ended with him leaving me alone and frightened in my room.

I know he could find someone else, someone who can be with him all the time not just under the cover of darkness.

He is handsome you know, even my friends at school admit this. I know many have tried to seduce him, and yet to no avail.

He tells me I am the only one he wants, and I believe him. How could I not?

"Kagome" his voice washes over me no more than a whisper as he approaches.

I smile, not a false smile, but one of pure joy as my heartbeat patters in my chest.

"You came" I mange to say before his lips descend on mine in the kiss of lovers too long parted. I press myself close to him, and his arms pull me closer as we try to meld ourselves into one being getting as close as clothing allows.

When he pulls away, I can feel the restlessness in him, as his magnetic eyes hold me in place with the depth of the feelings written there in. I have always loved his eyes, golden the colour of the sun shining warmly over the world.

"What is it?" I question, fingers lacing with his as we sit side-by-side on my bed as we have done so many times before.

I watch, as he looks away, eyes closing. I study him, watching as they slip open before sliding over me in a way that causes shivers to run up my spine.

"Inuyasha?" I ask again as he pulls his hand from my grasp to settle it in his lap.

"I can't do this anymore Kagome. I, I love you too much to watch you with him. Do you know how much it hurts?"

I can feel the salty wetness of tears running down my cheeks.

I knew this was coming, or at least I should have known.

"Don't do this," I whisper as I gaze up at him, "please don't"

"It won't work, no matter how we feel. It can't work..."

I just gaze at him knowing he is right. We are like the bird and the fish and each of us has always known this. And I know there is nothing I can say. I am trapped, stuck in a web of society functions, and superficiality. I have it all, the house, the name, the money, the boyfriend... and yet

There is nothing I can say, we both know I have to fulfill an obligation and so I say nothing. No words pass through my lips as he gazes upon my face, strong tanned hands running over my features before his lips find mine.

It is a kiss of death. Painfully sweet in its longing, passionate in desperation.

It is good-bye enacted.

I keep my eyes shut as he pulls away, fingers slowly loosening their hold upon his deliciously thick hair, moving slowly to skim over his neck, his shoulders, and now his arm as he moves further away.

"Inuyasha" his name the only sound as our hands touch, fingers intertwining.

My eyes open, and I force myself to be strong as our gazes meet in silent communication.

He leaves the bed, walking backwards to the window before slowly climbing.

Our gazes never waver as he falls away into the darkness of the night.

every time we swear it is the last, and yet it never is...

I wonder when I will see him again.

* * *

should i continue? let me know!

galene


	2. chapter one: contact

Chapter one

I was a dead thing, heart hidden beneath layers of cashmere and silk. It was buried so deep that I no longer knew who or what I was despite thinking I did.

I was foolish; there is no other way to put it.

I was eighteen, pretty, popular and wealthy. People flocked to me, trying to capture pieces of my light, without ever knowing who I really was.

I had a boyfriend, we had been together for the longest time, I was convinced I loved him, and that he loved me in return. We both knew that when we married it would solidify our family's wealth, giving rise to an empire that could, in old terms, rival that of the Ottomans. I was proud of this, and willing to trade nearly anything for a kind word from my Uncle who had been like a father to me since my real father's death.

My life was planned out, as clearly as the events scheduled in my day-timer that is until the first day of senior year when he walked into my life. He was not a student at my school, at least not one that I was aware of. Indeed if the parents had their way he never would have been allowed in as his kind were seen as lower than us. Not in terms of money, no his family indeed was rather well off, but in terms of blood. People still talked of how his mother had lowered herself. It was seen as a disgrace, a fate her family had avoided by denouncing her existence. I didn't know how she survived without their recognition, as for a young girl her family was her key to her future.

Yet, he soon became dangerous to me. Not in a physical sense, though he was well able to defend himself and anyone else he so chose, but on an emotional level.

"Sir, Miss will this table be all right?" the host asked arm indicating a table tucked away in a corner.

"Kagome?" my boyfriend Hojo inquired, pulling out my chair when I smiled in approval.

"wonderful, your server will be with you in a moment" the host commented as he made his way back towards the door after passing us our menus and placing my napkin in my lap.

It was then that I busied myself studying the menu, and so was slightly startled when a rich voice calmly inquired,

"would you like something to drink?"

My head shot up and I had to remind myself that staring was extremely impolite as I felt myself melt into twin pools of molten sun.

I don't know how long we gazed at each other before Hojo's voice caused us to break our gaze as the waiter turned to look at him.

I don't remember what Hojo said, my gaze still focused entirely on the waiter as I tried to analyze what had just passed between us.

I had never felt what I was feeling then. This strange sort of longing to speak with him combined with an overwhelming fear that he would dislike me.

It was silly really, why should I fear being disliked by a mere waiter? However, I suppose it had something to do with the fact that he was the handsomest man I had ever seen.

For the remainder of the evening I allowed myself to gaze at him discretely, admiring the way he moved with a predatory grace, amber eyes drifting my way repeatedly, accompanied by a devilish grin that caused butterflies to stir in the pit of my stomach. If I hadn't heard other girls talking of this sensation I would have been convinced that I had contracted a deadly disease.

It was a strange evening, one in which I found Hojo, whom I usually deemed good company, extremely dull, and so when I finished eating I excused myself to the ladies room.

Slipping between tables I made my way to the little hallway at the back of the restaurant, my gaze meeting and holding that of the golden-eyed waiter in a challenge.

I wanted to speak with him, to at the very least know his name.

To my joy, he followed me down the narrow corridor. Yet as he approached I found myself unable to form a coherent sentence, and so instead of exchanging words I found myself back pressed to the wall, with his breath in my ear as he whispered,

"what do you want from me?"

I did not reply right away, as I tried to formulate an answer, then realizing that there was none, I whispered the question that had been plaguing me,

"who are you?"

I heard his wry chuckle and muttered

"as I thought" before he stated the name that would plague me until this very day

"Inuyasha, I am Inuyasha"

"Kagome" I told him in return as I forced myself to straighten up.

"mmm Kagome a pretty name," he whispered and then in a flash of gold and silver, he slipped off down the hall leaving me alone, heart beating frantically like a caged bird within my breast.

It would not be until I returned home much later that I would find the card reading

"Friday, 11am, Casa Mia" in my purse.

I was no dummy, I knew that this meant he wanted to meet again, but the question as I headed to bed that night became, did I want to see him?

I spent the week agonizing. Trying to decide what I should do, and stifling in every moment, I spent sitting with my friends listening to the gossip, and innuendos about Hojo and myself. Then there was Hojo, I didn't know what to do about him. I was promised to him, and while it was not a marriage arranged in writing we had been together so long that there was an unspoken understanding looming over my head.

Yet as scared, as I was I couldn't help but think of him. His face clear in my mind as I lay in my bed at night. His strong jaw line, straight nose, full lips with the very tips of his canines peeking out, his was a face that many would find frightening and I had a feeling that many a tormentor had backed down under the weight of his piercing gaze. To me he was a study in contrast, the strength of his features and the seeming danger of his claws in discord with the adorable ears that lay perched amidst his luxurious mass of silver, and that look in his eyes as he had gazed upon me. The desire veiled softness. Just thinking about him made me long for the sound of his voice, breath whispering over the delicate tissue of my ear. I had only met him once and yet he plagued me, and it was this obsession, this schoolgirl starry-eyed crush that convinced me to meet him again.

TBC

Please review if you want more. (next chapter is nearly done)


	3. chapter two: you came?

Thanks for the Reviews!

Chapter Two

That Saturday I was a mass of nerves as I entered the cozy café. It was certaintly one that I would have normally avoided due to the high demon population that frequented the place. Yet, even I had to admit that it was darling, with its cream painted walls, scattered artwork and artefacts, and little cozy booths with curtains that could be drawn shut for privacy.

It was at on of these booths that I spotted Inuyasha sitting with his back to me.

I began to move towards him, confident that he was unaware of my presence until as I neared the table he mumbled half to himself,

"So I wasn't just imagining things" before stating louder,

"Hello Kagome"

"Hello Inuyasha" I responded rather unintelligently as I slipped into my seat.

We sat in silence after that, each sipping our coffees. It was not an uncomfortable silence, but the silence of people who are thinking seriously of what they want to say.

There were many things I wanted to ask him but I was unsure of how to approach the subject. After all how does one ask an extremely handsome man that they have only met once why they can not stop thinking about them, or why they invited oneself out for coffee?

He was finally the one to break the silence, his question abrupt with no delicate lead in

"why did you come?"

I was momentarily startled, as I tried to gather my scrambled thoughts.

"why meet me again, Kagome Higurashi, knowing what I am?"

"I… I don't know" I honestly replied before finally stating well more like questioning, "because you invited me?"

He laughed, a dry feeling less laugh at my reply,

"so you came out of pity? Is that it?"

I violently rejected this conclusion "no!"

"Then why? I want an honest answer"

He pinned me in place with his eyes, to you his questions may have seem weird but to me they made sense. He wanted to know what was up with me, why I would risk coming to meet him. It was like analyzing ones enemy to see if a truce and then a peace treaty could be formed. I did not know what to say to him, or why I really came when I walked in the door of that café, nor why I remained sitting there so out of place in my black pencil skirt and flowing blue-blouse. Yet before I knew what was happening I found my mouth opening and answers spilling forth,

"I came because I wanted; no I needed to see you again"

Shocked by my reply he broke our stare, head falling back against the back cushion of the booth.

Suddenly shy, and scared that I had been too bold, I stood and raced towards the door. I was panicking on the inside as the full weight of my words sunk in. Yet it was the truth, even now mere moments from him a part of me wanted to turn back but I would not. This was the 90's a time of increased woman's freedom, besides which I had my pride to think of, and so I continued walking, heels clacking the pavement until they were silenced by the grass of the park.

I don't know how long I had been sitting there on that desolate bench when a voice underlined with uncertainty broke through my reverie

"Kagome?"

I looked up, eyes drifting over long lean legs encased in dark slightly baggy denim, up over a lean black-encased torso to his handsome face.

"you shouldn't have said that."

I just gazed blankly at him

"I, I'm part demon, part dog demon." He informed me as if that would explain everything, even as he kept his eyes lowered to the ground

"so?" I questioned, not understanding what he meant. He heaved a sigh, one hand rising to run through his hair in a gesture of exasperation,

"so, I don't know what you want. You said you needed to see me, and perhaps that's true now… but what about later?"

I know, it seems like a very serious conversation for people that are just meeting, and I thought so too at the time, but I understand now. For him any relationship was a risk.

"Inuyasha, I meant it"

"are you sure?"

I nodded, "yes, I don't know why, and I'm not sure if I will always feel like this, but it is the truth" I admitted as he moved closer to flop down on the opposite end of the bench.

"Damn" he swore, causing me to smile inside as we both turned our attention to the pond before us.

A week ago we were strangers, and now as I sat beside him at the pond time became inconsequential. We were living in the moment on that day, our hands eventually reaching across the distance of the bench to touch harmlessly. A gesture that lead to us sitting side by side, my head on his shoulder, until finally we had to leave.

"will you meet me next week?" he asked as we stood face to face, hands still linked.

I smiled, "of course, 11am at the café?"

He shook his head slightly "no, 6pm at the café"

"ok, that should be fine" I agreed, and without thinking I placed a kiss on his cheek.

I pulled back in time to see the slight widening of his eyes, before I turned, disappearing down the path with a loud,

"next week then"

That night as i lay alone in my room theremembrance of his scent haunted my memory even as the warmth of the skin of his cheek seared my lips leaving meaching for the touch of his hands.

unknown to myself that was the beginning of my entrapment, the start of the inescapable web that I would weave around myself.

* * *

Please Review if you like it…

Galene


End file.
